Review: Moniaive Folk Festival 2009

Friday 29 - Sunday 31st May

Press Release

The work of Scotland's two greatest songwriters is showcased in this jam packed weekend in 'one of the coolest villages in Britain.' This is Moniaive's contribution to Homecoming Scotland and to the final weekend of the 30th Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.

The Festival gets underway on Friday night with is the second performance of 'Of A' The Airts - Robert Burns the Dumfries Years', a stage production of Burns' songs and some of the stories behind them. It was specially commissioned for a performance in the Theatre Royal, Dumfries, for the opening night of the Arts Festival.

Written Moniaive's award winning writer and broadcaster, Hugh Taylor, the cast includes three of Scotland's foremost interpreters of Burns Songs, Rod Paterson, Gill Bowman and Lionel McLelland.

Saturday and Sunday have a mixture of song writing and performing workshops, events for children and open stage concerts where local and visiting musicians get a chance to perform in front of a live audience.

The main event is the Saturday evening concert by ex-pat singer songwriter Eric Bogle. Eric, originally from Peebles, will be on opening weekend of his 'Farewell Tour of the UK'. At its conclusion the writer of 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda', 'Willie McBride' and 'They Told All The Fine Young Men' plans to retire. Eric will be accompanied as usual by Brent Millar.

Further information is available at: moniaive myspace
Burns 'n' Bogle Festival - Line up:
More about Eric Bogle on myspace - administered by a fan.

Moniaive - coolest village in Scotland

"Moniaive is an enchanted place that casts its spell over visitors and many decide to settle here. They claim it's because of the friendly people, the social life or its exquisite beauty but we know it's magic."
www.moniaive.org.uk

Events

Moniaive certainly has a most impressive diary of events with a series of festivals and concerts throughout the year:

Folk Festival 2009 will take place over the week-end Friday 8th - Sunday 10th May and has a fantastic line up in place including: Dervish, Hilary James, Simon Mayor Mary Kathleen Burke, Doghouse Roses, both Mary Kathleen Burke and Doghouse Roses performed at this year's Celtic Connections.

The Burns 'n' Bogle Festival Friday 29th - Sunday 31st May plus many concerts at The Marquee Club throughout the year.